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Power Rankings

NBA Power Rankings: Week 18

1. Houston Rockets2017-18 record: 42-13The Rockets are rolling. They have won eight straight games, and 12 of their last 13. Their current 42-13 record is the best mark through the first 55 games of a season in franchise history. Also, Houston is 25-1 when Clint Capela, James Harden, and Chris Paul play together.

2. Golden State Warriors2017-18 record: 43-13Steve Kerr won his 250th career game as head coach on Saturday. In the process, he became the fastest coach in NBA history to record 250 victories, needing just 302 games. The previous record holder was Phil Jackson, who notched his 250th win in his 346th game. In fact, Kerr is the fastest coach to 250 W’s in all of the four major North American sports.

3. Toronto Raptors2017-18 record: 39-16The Raptors are the only team in the league that rank in the top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Toronto is scoring 110.5 points per 100 possessions, while allowing just 102.6 points per 100 possessions.

Editor's Note: Looking for an edge in your fantasy leagues? The NBA Season Pass provides weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It's the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.

4. Boston Celtics2017-18 record: 40-18The Celtics have lost three of their last four games and now find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto. The race for the top spot in the East could be significant, as the No. 1 seed would likely avoid having to face the Cavs until the Eastern Conference Finals; whereas the No. 2 seed would have to take on Cleveland in the semis (assuming the Cavs stay in the third spot).

5. Minnesota Timberwolves2017-18 record: 35-24The Wolves are six games under .500 (12-18) on the road this season. However, they have the second-best home record in the NBA (23-6) and have won 13 straight games in Minnesota.

6. San Antonio Spurs2017-18 record: 35-22The Spurs have lost three of their last four games, with their only victory coming against the lowly Phoenix Suns. The schedule won’t lighten up for San Antonio, as they play seven of their next ten games on the road. Worse yet, six of those seven road opponents currently have winning records.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers2017-18 record: 33-22What a difference a day makes. Last Wednesday morning, the Cavs woke up having lost 13 of their previous 19 contests, including a dismal defeat to the Magic the night before. However, Cleveland beat Minnesota in overtime that evening, courtesy of a LeBron James buzzer-beater. The following afternoon, they overhauled their roster at the deadline, trading for George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. The Cavs demolished the Celtics on Sunday, showing the enticing upside of the newly re-configured and re-energized Cavaliers. However, Cleveland plays 17 games over the first 32 days following the All-Star break, so this group won’t have much time to practice together.

8. Washington Wizards2017-18 record: 32-24Tomas Satoransky took a nasty spill in the Wizards victory over the Bulls on Saturday night. Fortunately, it sounds like he avoided a significant injury. Over Washington’s last five games, Satoransky is averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 64.3 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from 3-point range (10-of-11). He’s also made all five of his free throw attempts.

9. Milwaukee Bucks2017-18 record: 31-24The Bucks lost to the Heat on Friday, but bounced back to beat the Magic on Saturday night. It was the sixth straight win for Milwaukee in the second game of a back-to-back. That’s the longest such winning streak by any team in the league this season. Overall, The Bucks are 9-3 on the back end of back-to-backs.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder2017-18 record: 32-25Both Russell Westbrook (ankle) and Carmelo Anthony (ankle) have each missed two consecutive games. OKC plays back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, and we should have an update on the status of Melo and Russ by Tuesday morning.

11. Portland Trail Blazers2017-18 record: 31-26Prior to Wednesday, January 31st, only once in the 72-year history of the NBA had a player scored 50-plus points in fewer than 30 minutes. Since that date, both members of the Blazers starting backcourt (Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum) have scored 50 points in fewer than 30 minutes.

12. Denver Nuggets2017-18 record: 30-26Nikola Jokic has dished out at least five dimes in 13 of his last 14 games. Over that 14-game stretch, he is averaging 7.1 assists, to go along with 18.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.5 treys and 1.0 steals.

13. Indiana Pacers2017-18 record: 32-25Victor Oladipo has been stuffing the stat sheet in grand fashion of late. Over his last four games, ‘Dipo is averaging 29.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 treys and 4.0(!) steals. Can’t ask for much more than that.

14. Philadelphia 76ers2017-18 record: 28-25Joel Embiid has recorded a double-double in eight straight games. Two of those games were on the second night of a back-to-back (he’s averaging 26.5 points and 13.0 rebounds on the back end of back-to-backs).

15. Miami Heat2017-18 record: 30-26The Heat had lost five straight games before beating the Bucks at home on Friday night. However, Miami's next three games are on the road, including a challenging back-to-back (in Toronto and Philadelphia) on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

1. Houston Rockets2017-18 record: 42-13The Rockets are rolling. They have won eight straight games, and 12 of their last 13. Their current 42-13 record is the best mark through the first 55 games of a season in franchise history. Also, Houston is 25-1 when Clint Capela, James Harden, and Chris Paul play together.

2. Golden State Warriors2017-18 record: 43-13Steve Kerr won his 250th career game as head coach on Saturday. In the process, he became the fastest coach in NBA history to record 250 victories, needing just 302 games. The previous record holder was Phil Jackson, who notched his 250th win in his 346th game. In fact, Kerr is the fastest coach to 250 W’s in all of the four major North American sports.

3. Toronto Raptors2017-18 record: 39-16The Raptors are the only team in the league that rank in the top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Toronto is scoring 110.5 points per 100 possessions, while allowing just 102.6 points per 100 possessions.

Editor's Note: Looking for an edge in your fantasy leagues? The NBA Season Pass provides weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It's the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.

4. Boston Celtics2017-18 record: 40-18The Celtics have lost three of their last four games and now find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto. The race for the top spot in the East could be significant, as the No. 1 seed would likely avoid having to face the Cavs until the Eastern Conference Finals; whereas the No. 2 seed would have to take on Cleveland in the semis (assuming the Cavs stay in the third spot).

5. Minnesota Timberwolves2017-18 record: 35-24The Wolves are six games under .500 (12-18) on the road this season. However, they have the second-best home record in the NBA (23-6) and have won 13 straight games in Minnesota.

6. San Antonio Spurs2017-18 record: 35-22The Spurs have lost three of their last four games, with their only victory coming against the lowly Phoenix Suns. The schedule won’t lighten up for San Antonio, as they play seven of their next ten games on the road. Worse yet, six of those seven road opponents currently have winning records.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers2017-18 record: 33-22What a difference a day makes. Last Wednesday morning, the Cavs woke up having lost 13 of their previous 19 contests, including a dismal defeat to the Magic the night before. However, Cleveland beat Minnesota in overtime that evening, courtesy of a LeBron James buzzer-beater. The following afternoon, they overhauled their roster at the deadline, trading for George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. The Cavs demolished the Celtics on Sunday, showing the enticing upside of the newly re-configured and re-energized Cavaliers. However, Cleveland plays 17 games over the first 32 days following the All-Star break, so this group won’t have much time to practice together.

8. Washington Wizards2017-18 record: 32-24Tomas Satoransky took a nasty spill in the Wizards victory over the Bulls on Saturday night. Fortunately, it sounds like he avoided a significant injury. Over Washington’s last five games, Satoransky is averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 64.3 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from 3-point range (10-of-11). He’s also made all five of his free throw attempts.

9. Milwaukee Bucks2017-18 record: 31-24The Bucks lost to the Heat on Friday, but bounced back to beat the Magic on Saturday night. It was the sixth straight win for Milwaukee in the second game of a back-to-back. That’s the longest such winning streak by any team in the league this season. Overall, The Bucks are 9-3 on the back end of back-to-backs.

10. Oklahoma City Thunder2017-18 record: 32-25Both Russell Westbrook (ankle) and Carmelo Anthony (ankle) have each missed two consecutive games. OKC plays back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, and we should have an update on the status of Melo and Russ by Tuesday morning.

11. Portland Trail Blazers2017-18 record: 31-26Prior to Wednesday, January 31st, only once in the 72-year history of the NBA had a player scored 50-plus points in fewer than 30 minutes. Since that date, both members of the Blazers starting backcourt (Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum) have scored 50 points in fewer than 30 minutes.

12. Denver Nuggets2017-18 record: 30-26Nikola Jokic has dished out at least five dimes in 13 of his last 14 games. Over that 14-game stretch, he is averaging 7.1 assists, to go along with 18.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.5 treys and 1.0 steals.

13. Indiana Pacers2017-18 record: 32-25Victor Oladipo has been stuffing the stat sheet in grand fashion of late. Over his last four games, ‘Dipo is averaging 29.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 treys and 4.0(!) steals. Can’t ask for much more than that.

14. Philadelphia 76ers2017-18 record: 28-25Joel Embiid has recorded a double-double in eight straight games. Two of those games were on the second night of a back-to-back (he’s averaging 26.5 points and 13.0 rebounds on the back end of back-to-backs).

15. Miami Heat2017-18 record: 30-26The Heat had lost five straight games before beating the Bucks at home on Friday night. However, Miami's next three games are on the road, including a challenging back-to-back (in Toronto and Philadelphia) on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

16. Utah Jazz2017-18 record: 28-28Utah is on a heater, having won nine straight games. In the process, they have vaulted themselves right back into the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. It’s the longest winning streak by the Jazz since they won nine consecutive games back in 2010.

18. New Orleans Pelicans2017-18 record: 29-26In Saturday’s thrilling double-overtime victory over the Nets, Anthony Davis racked up 44 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, three treys, six steals, and three blocks in 50 minutes. According to Basketball-Reference, AD became the first player in league history to tally more than 40 points, more than 15 boards, more than five steals and more than two blocks in a single game. However, it is worth noting that since DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles) went down, Davis is averaging 37.6 minutes per game, fifth most in the league over that timespan.

19. LA Clippers2017-18 record: 28-26The Clips had won three in a row before falling to the Sixers in Philly on Saturday night. L.A. is 3-2 since trading Blake Griffin and remain on the outside of the playoff picture out West.

20. Los Angeles Lakers2017-18 record: 23-32The Lakers have had four separate four-game winning streaks since the start of the 2018 calendar year. They are 12-5 since January 7th. The Houston Rockets are the only team in the league with a better record than Los Angeles over the last five weeks… Isaiah Thomas failed to score more than 15 points in the first half in any of his 15 games as a Cavalier, but poured in 16 points in the first half in his Lakers debut on Saturday. Thomas logged a total of 31 minutes off the bench and finished with 22 points and six assists. It will be very interesting to see how coach Luke Walton divvies up the minutes at point guard once Lonzo Ball (knee) is healthy and returns to game action.

21. Charlotte Hornets2017-18 record: 23-33Last week was a tough one for the Hornets, as they lost all four games they played. Charlotte is now 6.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Sixers in the Eastern Conference. It’s looking like a lost year for the Hornets.

22. Brooklyn Nets2017-18 record: 19-38Spencer Dinwiddie has dished out at least nine assists in five straight games. He is averaging 17.2 points, 9.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 3-pointers and 1.8 steals over that stretch. Dinwiddie has 148 assists in 2018. Only LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have more.

23. Chicago Bulls2017-18 record: 19-36Kris Dunn (concussion) has missed ten consecutive games, but fortunately, he was cleared from concussion protocol over the weekend. Dunn was dropped in plenty of fantasy leagues; go scoop him up if he’s still on the wire, as he’s poised for a big second half. Dunn ranks 66th overall in nine-category fantasy leagues this season.

24. New York Knicks2017-18 record: 23-34Here’s the allocation of minutes for the Knicks four point guards on Sunday vs. the Pacers:Jarrett Jack: 8 minutes Trey Burke: 8 minsEmmanuel Mudiay: 29 minsFrank Ntilikina: 31 minsThis is obviously a very encouraging development for both Mudiay and Ntilikina.

25. Orlando Magic2017-18 record: 18-37The Magic started the week winning three straight games, including an impressive road win in Miami and a victory over the Cavs in Orlando. However, their streak was snapped by the Bucks on Saturday. The Magic have not won four straight since December 2015.

26. Atlanta Hawks2017-18 record: 18-39Dewayne Dedmon started on Sunday and exploded for 20 points (7-of-9 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs), 13 rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block in Atlanta's win over the Pistons. Afterward, coach Mike Budenholzer said that Dedmon would likely remain in the starting lineup.

27. Dallas Mavericks2017-18 record: 18-39Dirk Nowitzki missed his first game of the season on Sunday with what the team labeled a left ankle effusion. However, over the Mavericks previous five contests, Dirk was averaging 15.8 points, 7.6 boards and 2.6 triples.

28. Memphis Grizzlies2017-18 record: 18-37The Grizz have lost six straight games, which is tied with the Knicks for the league’s longest losing streak.

29. Phoenix Suns2017-18 record: 18-39Elfrid Payton made a positive first impression in his Suns debut on Saturday night. Despite not having yet practiced with his new teammates, Payton logged 35 minutes and racked up 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists, on 8-of-13 shooting.

30. Sacramento Kings2017-18 record: 17-38If the season ended this morning, the Kings would have the best odds at winning the 2018 NBA draft lottery. However, quite amazingly, just one game separates the bottom seven team in the league.